In Flagrante Delicto
by TracyT
Summary: Martha overhears something she wasn't meant to
1. Chapter 1

Title: In Flagrante Delicto

Author: TracyT

Rating: T

Category: Romance, Humor

Summary: Martha hears something she wasn't meant to

Spoilers: None, really

Archive: Yes, Please!

Feedback to:

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I wish they were. No profit will be made on this. It is a labor of love.

Author's Note: Okay, this stemmed from two things. First was Martha's reaction in Under the Gun when Rick said the treasure hunt was all worth it because Kate had given him a "sweaty hug," and I just read an adults only story by Duchess of Strumpetness called 'Castle Cuffed." *fan, fan*

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Martha let herself into the loft and closed the door with a sigh. She'd had an audition today that she had really been looking forward to, but it hadn't gone well. She just wasn't on her game today. She headed for the kitchen. She needed a drink.

She got a glass down from the cabinet and got the brandy bottle down from another. She needed the good stuff right now. She poured a couple fingers into the snifter and took a drink, relishing the burn as it went down.

That's when she heard it.

The unmistakable sound of bed springs squeaking and the headboard being knocked against the wall. Her son was having sex with someone upstairs. Lord, how awkward. She didn't even know there was someone on his radar right now. Then a dark thought entered her mind. Please, let it _not_ be Gina. She couldn't stand the woman for how miserable she'd made Richard when they were married. She would never forgive her for that.

Looking over she noticed a trail of clothing going up the stairway. Huh. She hadn't noticed that when she'd first come in.

Well, she thought, at least it wasn't as bad as the time she'd caught him and some woman in the act on the kitchen island. Gads. They'd all been embarrassed, but Richard had recovered the fastest, asking Martha to leave and escorting his date upstairs. Later, he even had the cheek to occasionally make some teasing remark to Martha about the island, and her answer was usually, "darling, not enough Windex in the world…"

She heard some vocalizations from above and realized he must not have closed the bedroom door all the way. Fabulous. They really needed to come up with a signal, like tying a sock on the door knob or something, now that she was back to living at the loft full-time.

Well, she'd just finish her drink, clear out and leave them to it. She'd call before she came back. Thank god Alexis wasn't due home from school for a couple of hours.

From above, "Oh _God_." Okay, she thought, time to go. When Richard was to the point he was calling to the deities it was her cue to exit stage left.

Then she heard it. "God, Kate!" She heard the answering moans of a female voice.

Her eyebrows climbed into her hairline. Kate, was it? She couldn't prevent the smile that spread across her face. She nodded in approval.

Holding the brandy glass toward the stairway in a toast, she said softly, "Well, _finally_. Congratulations, you two. It's about damned time." She threw back the rest of the brandy, gathered her things together and left the loft as quietly as she had entered it.

Fin


	2. Chapter 2

In Flagrante Dilicto, Chapter 2

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Approximately two and a half hours later, Martha entered the loft for the second time. This time she found her son standing at the stove while Kate and Alexis watched him from their seats at the kitchen island. Kate had a glass of wine in front of her and Alexis had a soda.

"Hello, everyone," Martha said breezily.

"Hello, mother," Rick turned from sautéing pancetta and garlic to greet her with a smile on his face. "You're just in time. Kate's joining us for dinner tonight. I'm making chicken carbonara."

"Hello, Kate, darling," Martha pulled her into a hug. "It's so good to see you. It's been a while."

"Hello Martha, " Kate said softly. "It's good to see you, too. Thanks for letting me join you for supper."

"We love having you, don't we, Richard?"

"Absolutely." Rick turned and smiled at Kate and something passed between them. Martha couldn't help but notice that her son looked extremely happy while Kate positively glowed.

"Dad, do I have time to show Kate my dress for the dance?" Alexis asked. Apparently Kate and Alexis had been discussing the homecoming dance.

"Dinner won't be ready for a while, honey, you have time," Rick answered, getting the spaghetti noodles down from the cabinet.

Alexis said, "I'll be right back," and ran upstairs to get the dress. She was back down in seconds and she and Kate wandered over to the couch, Alexis holding the midnight blue dress up for Kate to admire. They started talking hemlines and shoes and hairstyles.

That's when Martha noticed it. Her brandy glass from earlier—with the bottle of Windex sitting next to it.

Martha snorted. She went up to her son and elbowed him gently in the side. He turned his head to give her a grin.

"Okay, so I'm busted, but how was I supposed to know?" She said in a loud whisper. "We need to set up some kind of signal."

"Sock on the door knob?" Rick said. Martha laughed and nodded.

"Well, It wasn't like we planned it or anything," he said almost shyly. "It just happened."

"Took you long enough." She bumped him with her hip.

Rick just shook his head, the grin never leaving his face. Martha linked her arm through his. "So, tell me, kiddo, are you happy?"

Rick just put a hand to his heart and closed his eyes for a moment as if there were no words. Martha actually felt a lump in her throat. Her chin quivered when she said, "I'm so glad for you. Both of you, and if you're happy, then I'm happy, too."

Rick reached up to squeeze her arm in gratitude. He continued to cook for a while and then he surprised her by saying quietly without looking at her, "I love her, mom. I'm in love with her."

Martha glanced back at Kate and Alexis who were still involved in the dress, and again, Martha fought the lump in her throat. He almost never called her "mom" anymore. It was always "mother."

"I know you are, honey. I've known it for a while now."

He turned to look at her in mild surprise. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He digested this in silence for a few moments before nodding his understanding.

"I was worried you two weren't going to get it figured out, but I'm glad you finally did."

Now he wouldn't meet her eyes, he just said quietly, "Yeah. Me, too." He started to add the chicken to the pan, which sizzled loudly.

With one last squeeze of his arm, Martha turned toward Kate and Alexis.

"So," she said loudly, clapping her hands together. "What's a woman got to do to get a glass of wine around here?" There was definitely something to celebrate, she thought.

Fin


End file.
